Imani Country House

Style

Revitalised rural retreat

Setting

Atmospheric Alentejo

Rural estate Imani Country House may take its name from the Swahili for ‘believe’, but this farmhouse specialises in serving up Portuguese hospitality in style. Located in the Alentejo, the owners know how to mix modern luxury with the laid-back atmosphere of this lesser-known region. You'll find a locavore-loving restaurant for leisurely breakfasts until noon, as well as hammocks for lazing and two swimming pools encircled by pine and cedar groves. The hotel even produces its own olive oil from century-old trees that grow around the estate – evidence, if more were needed, that this romantic retreat remains firmly rooted to the land.

Facilities

Rooms

Seven, including five suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm. Call ahead if you’ll be arriving before 3pm or after 9pm.

More Details

Rates include buffet breakfast.

Also

Common areas and one of the Double Rooms are wheelchair accessible.

Free Internet Access

On-Site Restaurant

At the Hotel

Free wifi, DVD library. In rooms: free WiFi, DVD player.

Our Favourite Rooms

Of Imani’s seven suites, our favourite is number seven: it’s upstairs and very spacious. Both the bedroom and living room are large, and there’s a romantic fireplace to lounge before. The best views of the surrounding countryside are from the elegant roll-top bath.

Poolside

The hotel has two small unheated pools, set in the gardens and surrounded by boulder-strewn lawns.

Spa

Choose from a menu of relaxing massages, which take place beneath a pergola overlooking the gardens.

Packing Tips

If you’re a city slicker who’s always dreamt of packing it all in and running off to become a shepherd or shepherdess, now’s your chance to try it: pack your sturdiest boots and walk the hotel’s 30 acres of land until you track down the farm’s very own flock of sheep.

Also

Imani runs something of an informal wine school: ask about tastings with award-winning local producer Paulo Laureano, or head out on a guided tour of the region’s top wineries.

Children

Extra beds and cots (free for under-2s; €25 for under-12s) can be added to rooms subject to availability.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

The most romantic spot is by the piano, furthest from the entrance.

Dress Code

Leave the heels at home: aim for farmhouse chic.

Hotel Restaurant

Breakfast is served every morning in the light and airy Improvável Restaurant. For lunch (and dinner on Monday and Tuesdays, when the head chef Rui Rosário is off duty), go for lighter options of salmon wraps, caprese salads, fruit plates and burgers. The rest of the week, dinner is a heartier affair of classic Portuguese dishes, including alentejo tomato soup, brás codfish and asparagus migas with pork tenderloin.

Hotel Bar

Pour yourself a drink at the honesty bar on the porch: it’s stocked with water, juices, beer and wine. The hotel also have a win shop, selling bottles sourced from small producers in the region.

Last Orders

Breakfast is available every day from 9.30am to the leisurely hour of noon. Lunch is served from 1pm to 5.30pm and dinner is served from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Planes

Touch down at Lisbon Portela Airport (www.lisbon-airport.com), roughly an hour’s drive from the hotel, which has regular flights to destinations worldwide, including London, Toronto and Newark.

Trains

The closest train station is Évora (www.cp.pt), 10 minutes from the hotel; trains from Lisbon arrive several times each day.

Automobiles

Get to Alentejo on the fast A6 motorway from Lisbon; take the Évora exit and after 800m turn right towards Guadalupe. Then, follow the big blue signs for ‘Casa de Campo’. On-site parking is free.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The Alentejo region is awash with historical sites, from mediaeval castles to Roman ruins. But it’s also a top wine-producing region, so oenology obsessives will find no shortage of vineyards and wineries to explore. Nearby, the monuments of Unesco-listed Évora date back to Celtic times, but it’s the architecture from the 15th century – when Portuguese royalty moved in – that’s the star attraction. Right beside the Roman Temple of Diana, the Museu de Évora has historic and artistic exhibits charting local history. The marvellously macabre walls of Évora's Capela dos Ossos at the Igreja de São Francisco are lined with the bones of long-gone nuns and monks. The spooky inscription at the door reads: ‘Nós ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos’… ‘We, the bones here, await yours’ (+351) 266 704 521). The Évora area has historical monuments aplenty, but the Almendres Cromlech, just outside town, is one of the most ancient: the site has one of the largest standing stone circles in Europe, thought to have been built as an observatory. The hotel can also arrange hot-air balloon rides, horse-riding excursions and boat trips on the Alqueva Dam to help you embrace the Alentejo at its rural best.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .